Shaw: Man United will bounce back from ‘smack in the face’ at Hull
· Yahoo Sports
Luke Shaw has promised Manchester United will bounce back from their “smack in the face” at promoted Hull and go onto have a successful season.
Michael Carrick’s men arrived in East Yorkshire as heavy favourites but left with a bloody nose as centre-backs Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy scored from first-half set-pieces.
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United lacked the guile and cutting edge required to get back into the game against play-off winners Hull, whose first top-flight match since 2017 ended in a first ever Premier League win against the Red Devils.
Carrick’s side were a far cry from the side that finished third last term but Shaw, the club’s longest-serving player, is convinced Saturday lunchtime will be forgotten by the end of a positive season.
“I think we had the exact same hope (as the fans),” the left-back told Viaplay.
“We have the exact same feeling, even now after the game. It will be a very good season from us, I’m sure of it. We’ll be up there.
“Of course, this is a little blip. It’s not obviously nice to happen at the start of the season when our expectations are high, and we should be starting the season strong, showing everyone we’re here this season.
“Not meant to be. But one game won’t define us. We’ll regroup, we’ll go again and, like I said, I promise it’ll be a good season from us.”
Another promoted side, Ipswich, lie in wait at Old Trafford next Sunday, when Carrick’s side will have to be far better than in their meek MKM Stadium defeat.
Set-pieces certainly need work in the build-up, with Wayne Rooney, the club’s all-time top scorer, slamming Shaw for what he called “schoolboy” defending for Hull’s second goal.
“I think we have to do, as a whole team, much better,” the England defender said before Rooney made those comments.
“I think even leading up the game, we need to prepare better on what their strengths are and of course that’s set-plays.
“But of course it’s disappointing. Manchester United should be coming to Hull and winning the game, and we haven’t done that.
“But no excuses at all. Congratulations to them and we go back, refocus, got another big game next week at Old Trafford.”
Put to Shaw that United would have known Hull would come with intensity from the outset and a focus on set-pieces, he said: “We knew what we were coming into.
“A newly-promoted side, first game back in the Premier League. There’s going to be a lot of passion, hunger. The atmosphere is going to be extremely good.
“Before the game in the changing room, we felt ready, we were positive.
“We felt like we were in a really good place and then, of course, it’s a smack in the face, really. Two goals to set-plays. It destroys the momentum but at half-time I felt like we could come back and win this game.
“We believed, but I think we were lacking that little bit in the final third as well with finishing opportunities.
“But of course, no way is there any excuses. But it’s better to happen now, right at the start of the season, so we can refocus, refresh, and go again next week.”